The Green Key - an ecolabel for sustainable tourism

We are trying to make a difference - As a Responsible Traveller you can also make a difference by choosing a Green Key Hostel.

Green Key - The Official Eco-label

The Green Key® is a worldwide available eco-label awarded to leisure organizations, as hotels, youth hostels, conference- and holiday centres, campsites, holiday-houses and leisure facilities.

A Green Key certification is awarded for only for 12 months, after which it must be renewed. A certified inspector visits once or twice a year as part of the process.

To date (January 2010) 7 Danish hostels, several Danish hotels, conference- and holiday centres, campsites, leisure facilities and restaurants have obtained The Green Key.

Danhostel Ribe received the Green Key in 1997 as one of the first in Denmark to receive the International Tourism Environment label

THE Best Green Hotels in the world

At Environmentally Friendly Hotels Danhostel Ribe Hostel is rated as the best in Denmark and among the best in the world among more than 3500 environmentally friendly hotels, bed and breakfasts, resorts, motels, lodges, and inns listed. Look here: Best Green Hotels.

INNOTOUR

We participate in INNOTOUR started by University of Southern Denmark 2010. INNOTOUR is web-based examples of best practices in tourism development to create more innovation in the Wadden Sea region. We participate as an example for sustainable tourism best practice.

Read about our case here: INNOTOUR and here: Danhostel Ribe blog

At Danhostel Ribe our ecolabels mean that we:

meet or exceed comprehensive environmental standards related to, among others, our cleaning products, trash recycling, energy-saving heat, water and electricity, air quality, weed prevention and organic foods.

We:

Use energy management to reduce the amount of electricity and heath
Use energy saving bulbs
Sort waste like bottles and cardboard for recycling
Compost green waste to use for soil for our own grown herbs and fruit
Use eco-friendly detergents
Practice water conservation by using water and shower filters
Have toilets that use no more than 7 liters water per flushing
Have a no-smoking policy throughout the building
Air our rooms carefully after each use
Don’t use herbicides on the property
The Danish food inspection agency does not allow us to mention anything about our use of organic products, because we cannot guarantee that it is the same products we offer as organic every day. Therefore use your own eyes at the breakfast buffet – then you at least will be able to see the organic products that are marked with the Danish ø sign for organic products. We hope to find a solution of this problem that is due to some restaurants cheating on this matter. The Green Key accepts that WE CAN show our percentage of organic food purchase in our accounts – if we couldn’t we would not be able to be members of Green Key
The Danish food inspection agency has allowed us to use herbs and fruit from our own and the hosts little garden (a small production)
We offer local wadden sea produced food for groups and courses for an additional price
Offer, for an additional price, organic food for dinner and lunch (groups and courses)
Offer information about The Green Key so it is visible and accessible to the guests
Offer organic and Good Origin Coffee to a cheap price in our Coffee Vending Machine. (Traceable from farm to cup)
......and much more

As a guest you can help us by:


	recycling

Sorting the garbage
Economize on water and heat
Close the window when the heat is on
Turn off the light in your room (when you don’t need it)
Inform us about dripping taps, running toilets, etc.

Tips for an Eco-Friendly holiday or study visit in Denmark

Denmark’s and Scandinavia’s oldest town. Danhostel Ribe is placed right in the centre of town; you can WALK to the sights, guided tours, shops, pubs, train station etc. Here you find our: Historical Town Walk
The National Park Wadden Sea at the North Sea including its tidal flats and salt marshes is one of the world’s most important wetlands for migratory birds. You can watch birds both in the bird watchtower in Ribe, in the marshes or at the Wadden Sea. WALK OR BIKE (1-7km). Here you can read more: The Wadden Sea.
The Tidal Area, Storm Surges, global warming and climate change issues in our area. Visit the Wadden Sea Centre at the Wadden Sea and learn about these issues. Also watch the storm surge multi-media show. (10km. You can BIKE through the marshes). Read about storm surges in Ribe throughout time: Storm Surges
Public parks, rivers and benches you find everywhere in Ribe. WALK. Ribe is also called Denmark’s Venezia. Just outside our hostel is a preserved meadow, where pirates’ heads were put on stakes (Meadow of the Heads) in Medieval Times
The Commoner’s Tower. Walk. Be sure to climb the inside of the Commoner’s Tower. It is 52 meters (170 feet) high with 248 steps. In clear weather one can enjoy a scenic view with the spacious landscape expanding in a radius of about 30 to 35km (19 to 22 miles). On such clear days it is possible to see the city of Esbjerg, the Wadden Sea National Park and North Sea islands of Rømø, Mandø, and Fanø - and of course the marshland and all the red roofs of Ribe
Bicycle Rides and Bike-Rent. Individuals, families and groups can rent bikes at the hostel or bring their own. Danhostel Ribe has received the Cycle-label officially approved by the Danish Tourist Board. We welcome cyclists. Among other things we have shelters for bicycles and tools for repairing. Read more: Biycle Rental.
Local food from the Wadden Sea National Park. Study Tours and conferences can - by paying an extra fee - order a delicious and special dinner at the hostel made from local lamb or calves. Due to the salty food the animals have been eating in the marshes it is very tasty and special food
Biogas Plant Ribe. The biogas plant contributes to solving environmental and agricultural problems by handling and redistributing animal manure from the farmers in the area. Produces pathogen free, nutritionally declared liquid fertiliser to the farmers and also heat and electricity to Ribe Town - and to Danhostel Ribe Hostel. Study visits for groups.
Sustainable energy. Visiting Ribe and the west coast you can’t miss the hundreds of wind mills turning their wings to produce sustainable energy for the Danes. 17% of all Denmark’s electricity comes from wind energy, and much more is to come the next years, among others the worlds biggest offshore wind mill park here at the west coast. This new wind mill park alone will produce 2% of Denmark’s electricity.
Denmark is at the world forefront of developing and producing sustainable energy that doesn’t pollute. About 40% of all wind turbines in the world are produced in Denmark. Also solar cells using sunlight, fuel cells running on hydrogen, wave power technology are renewable energy forms that Denmark plays a central role in developing and producing. 80% of the Danish production of sustainable energy comes from biomass (manure from domestic animals, garbage etc.).

The Green Key – an international eco-label for tourism

At January 2010, The Green Key is established in sixteen countries, but as it is a part of FEE - Foundation for Environmental Education - it is available to all 60 countries in the FEE network. The FEE campaigns are Blue Flag, Young Reporters for the Environment, Learning About Forests, Eco Schools, and the Green Key. You find The Green Key in the following countries: Denmark, France, Italy, Estonia, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Lithuania, Latvia, Japan, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan and Puerto Rico.

Each country develops national criteria consisting of all the international baseline criteria plus twenty percent national additions. National legislation, infrastructure, policies, and climate are taken into account when developing national additions.

More information about green hostels, green hotels and the Green Key here: The Green Key and FEE - Foundation for Environmental Education

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